Tag Archives: The Hidden Years of Jesus

In the life of a Jew, adulthood begins at age twelve. A ceremony known as a Bar-mitzvah for boys and Bat-mitzvah for girls commences this stage in life. Luke 2 provides the only glimpse of Jesus’ life as a boy during his Bar-mitzvah. Following this event, there are 18 years of silence known as the hidden years of Jesus.

And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart, Luke 2:51.

Despite this gap of missing time, there are a few things we know about Jesus. First, Jesus continued in the ways of his earthly father Joseph as a carpenter. According to Luke, Jesus remained an obedient son, providing for his mother Mary after Joseph’s death. The next time Jesus appears in the Bible is in the day of John the Baptist who prepared the way for Jesus’ earthly ministry.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man, Luke 2:52.

There are 3 qualities that highlight the missing years of Jesus, First, Jesus grew in wisdom by daily taking time alone to pray with his heavenly father. Second, Jesus’ actions, constant care and nurturing words magnified his stature as a godly man. Finally, as Jesus keep in step with the Holy Spirit, God favor remained on Jesus in the form of daily blessings. All these things prepared Jesus for the accounts portrayed in the four gospels which transformed the lives of 11 disciples.